1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the staking of newly planted immature trees, and more particularly to a system in which the supporting stakes and the tree are configured to provide safe, healthy support for the tree, and which allows for ease in adjustments to prevent damage to the young tree.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of stakes in connection with efforts to stabilize newly planted trees is well known in the art. A typical young tree with a small flexible trunk is not self-supporting. Accordingly, it is common practice to drive one or more rigid stakes or poles into the ground adjacent and parallel to the tree. Ropes, ties, straps, or like flexible members are then wrapped around the tree trunk and the adjacent stake or pole in an attempt to stabilize the tree, until the subsequent root growth and trunk stability permits the tree to maintain a vertical orientation without any external assistance.
There are a number of problems with the foregoing system. In some instances, the straps or ties which interconnect the stake and the tree trunk tend to gouge or dig into the tree trunk and damage, or even destroy the tree. This is particularly true when the wind urges the tree away from its supporting stake, and/or when the tree grows and its enlarging circumference expands around the supporting strap, tie, etc.
Other problems arise due to the fact that the stakes themselves, even though made of rigid material and driven into the ground for stability may nevertheless list or lean from a normally vertical position, and thus fail to give the appropriate stabilizing effect to the tree to which the stake or stakes are attached
Moving the ropes, ties, or straps vertically on the tree trunk at timed intervals will prevent damage to the tree trunk, but such movement also requires movement of these flexible members along the stakes as well. This can present a time consuming and frequently difficult operation.